“One of the concerns was when the Utilities worker went down to try to get the kids out of the storm drain,” Lt. Kris Soppe with the Colorado Springs Fire Department said, ” their air monitor went off showing it was a hazardous atmosphere.”

Fire crews along with a hazmat team responded to the scene. Two pairs of heavy rescue teams searched the storm water drain for about an hour before calling it off, saying the kids were able to escape near Bijou Street.

“It’s most likely that this isn’t their first time in the storm sewer,” Soppe said. “A lot of [the manholes] are easily accessible to kids.”